U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary hosts boat crew training seminars

After a long, freezing winter of scarce boating in this area, the Coast Guard Auxiliary conducted two-day-long refresher courses for trainees, crewmen and coxswains (captains). The first class took place June 6 at the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control facility at North Shore Marina, Indian River Inlet. The following week, the course was held in the Coast Guard station at Roosevelt Inlet on the north end of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal.

Attending were auxiliarists from all around the Fifth Northern Region plus instructors from the active Coast Guard Station Indian River. More than 40 Coast Guard Auxiliary members and active-duty personnel actively participated throughout the two courses.

The overarching mission of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is to contribute to the safety and security of U.S. citizens, ports, waterways and coastal regions. The Auxiliary balances its missions of recreational boating safety and Coast Guard support with maritime homeland security and other challenges that emerge as a result of the growing understanding of changes required in the post-9/11 era.

To find a nearby flotilla, go to www.5nr.org/flotilla/fllinks.php. For more information go to wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=053-12-09.

U.S. Coast Guard Station Indian River Chief Michael Kristiansen instructs on and reviews various search and rescue patterns, the need for each, and how to determine the best pattern for the situation.
(Courtesy of: John Ballantyne)

In this group from the Indian River Inlet class on the first seminar day, the participants are in back (l-r) John Umbel, Bob McCleary, Dick Stevenson, Bud Trainor, Dennis Murphy, Doug Deiss, Bob Tigani, Bruce White, Betty Smith, Joe Harris, Dave Ritondo, Denny Nield, and John Ballantyne. In front are BM3 John Nash, Len Gerhart, Don Gerhart, Bob Adams, Alan Boucher and Ron Martz.
(Courtesy of: Bill Jackson)